EE CEO Olaf Swantee Steps Down

Michael Moore joined TechWeek Europe in January 2014 as a trainee before graduating to Reporter later that year. He covers a wide range of topics, including but not limited to mobile devices, wearable tech, the Internet of Things, and financial technology.

Mobile network EE has confirmed that its CEO Olaf Swantee will be leaving the company following the completion of its takeover by BT.

The £12.5bn deal is close to being completed, subject to formal approval from the CMA.

Swantee, who has overseen EE’s activities for the past four and a half years, will be succeeded by Marc Allera, who is currently EE’s chief commercial officer, and will take over the role upon formal completion of the deal.

All change

“As we approach the imminent completion of the deal with BT and the start of an exciting new chapter for EE, I’ve taken the enormously difficult decision to step down from my role as CEO, and pursue new opportunities,” Swantee said in a statement.

“I am immensely proud of the past four and a half years, creating, launching and growing EE to the exciting business it is today. It has been a period of great success, and I’d like to thank all of our employees for the incredibly hard work and support they have shown to me, as well as the business, to help achieve this.”

“To leave EE is probably the hardest decision of my career, but I feel the time is right for me to handover for the next exciting chapter of EE’s incredible journey. I wish Marc all the success for the future.”

Swantee has overseen EE’s growth into one of the UK’s top mobile networks, with the company revealing back in October that it currently has 12.6 million registered 4G users. Its 4G network now covers 93 percent of the UK population, with more than half of its customers now opting for LTE.

The company is also moving into the smart product space, revealing a range of connected products for businesses and the public sector, including EE Connected Vehicle, which turns cars into a Wi-Fi hotspot, back in December.